Murray back from injury and ready to return to action in Dubai

One month after he lost to Novak Djokovic in that epic Australian Open semi-final, Andy Murray returns to competitive action on Tuesday in what should prove a more straightforward assignment.

He plays German Michael Berrer in the first round of the Dubai Championships, knowing the last time they met he managed to overcome Berrer despite struggling with injury for most of the match.

That was at Roland Garros last year when Murray battled through their third-round encounter despite badly hurting his ankle and limping around, so he will be optimistic he can beat the world No 116 in full health.

Ready for a comeback: Andy Murray 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai

The 24-year-old Scot could meet Djokovic in the semi-finals later this week if he progresses that far, as the world No 1 has also chosen this week to rejoin the fray ahead of the two opening Masters level events of the season in America next month. Roger Federer is also in a relatively strong field.

Murray has spent a gruelling 10 days prior to this in Florida working with coach Ivan Lendl, spending up to five hours per day on court. Lendl has not travelled to Dubai because he is playing in a seniors’ event but has indicated he will be with the British No 1 for the whole of the clay court season.

Different ball game: Murray plays with a football in Dubai

He has said that includes the traditional European curtain-raiser of the Monte Carlo Open in mid-April, which would appear to reduce the chances of Murray playing in Britain’s Davis Cup match against Belgium which takes place early the same month.

Although he has not made a final decision, unless Murray crashes out early from the Miami Masters event at the end of March it seems unlikely that he will make an appearance in Glasgow versus Belgium.

Epic: Murray has not played since his marathon match with Novak Djokovic

Dan Evans, who stepped heroically into the breach earlier this month against Slovakia, has maintained some decent form by qualifying for this week’s Challenger event in Cherbourg without dropping a set.

Meanwhile, Djokovic’s younger brother Marko lost in the first round in Dubai. Marko, ranked 869th in the world, succumbed 6-3, 6-2 to world No 143 Andrey Golubev.